Hello from a sunny but chilly Thames.

My name is Jenny Ayden and I am the committee person responsible for Education and Development. I work with a sub committee looking at your applications as they come in.

I have been involved in patchwork and quilting for more than 30 years. My mother was a seamstress so I grew up with the sound of a sewing machine and scissors cutting out fabric on our wooden dining table.  Unlike many of my quilting friends, I never got into to sewing while living at home, my mother providing me with my wardrobe. I did however get into other crafts, knitting, crochets, macrame as was the fashion, and making, painting and dressing porcelain dolls.

In the 1990’s I began a job in a school where the office lady was into quilting and she invited me to  Patchwork evening classes. That got me hooked.   I became a fabricaholic and my patchwork and quilting journey began. I joined Guilds in Auckland and Counties Manukau and sewed. Still sewing. My mum would be so pleased. I am very pleased to say that I did make mum a quilt, baskets, machine pieced and hand quilted.

I love making quilts. These are given to family members and friends and anyone I hear of who needs a quilt to help them through difficult times. If I can’t find anyone, they are given to the guilds I belong to for community quilts.

After a whole working life teaching I moved from Auckland to Thames to.be a more hands on Grandma to my lovely Grand daughter, helping out my son and daughter in law. I also have a daughter and son in law living in Christchurch.

I am not sure what retirement is meant to look like but as well as AQ, I volunteer at the local Citizens Advice and go to local patchwork and knitting groups and entertaining the stream of visitors who love the laid back town of Thames. I am busier than I was at work!

Jenny